1. Filed of the invention
The present invention relates to a sheet receiving apparatus which is mounted on an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, a recording device and the like and on a sheet processing apparatus for carrying out binding and the like, and so on for loading sheets such as recording sheets and the like thereon. In particular, the present invention relates to the arrangement of a sheet receiving apparatus which can be selectively put in two states, that is, a state of use and a state of accommodation and has a center of rotation through which the two states can be selected by the rotational motion of the tray.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, recording apparatuses are provided with a sheet tray as a sheet receiving apparatus such as a sheet feed tray for holding recording mediums on which images are to be recorded, a discharged sheet tray for holding recording mediums on which the images have been recorded, and the like.
In these recording apparatuses, the sheet tray is arranged such that it can be accommodated when it is not used to save a space.
There is a method of accommodating the sheet tray by sliding it into the main body of the recording apparatus as the accommodating methods thereof. However, a problem arises in this method in that the size of the recording apparatus main body is increased to secure a space for accommodating it.
To solve the above problem, there is also proposed a method of selectively putting the sheet tray in the state of use and the state of accommodation by rotating it.
In the above arrangement, it is necessary to hold the sheet tray by additionally providing an elastic member such as a metal spring or the like or to form an elastically deformable portion at a part of the sheet tray or at a part of a recording apparatus main body in order to keep the state of the sheet tray when it is accommodated.
In the above arrangement, however, a cost is increased by the addition of the elastic member such as the metal spring or the like.
While it has been proposed to form the elastically deformable portion at a part of the sheet tray or at a part of the recording apparatus main body without the addition of the elastic member such as the metal spring or the like to keep the state of the sheet tray when it is accommodated, there is caused a problem in that the accommodated state of the sheet tray cannot be kept due the deformation or breakage of the elastic portion. Thus, there has been desired a sheet tray having a reliable structure by which the state of accommodation of the sheet tray can be reliably kept without an increase in a cost.
An object of the present invention for solving the above problem is to provide a sheet tray having high reliability without an increases in a cost which can securely keep the state of accommodation of the sheet tray through a simple arrangement and is not broken even if it is handled somewhat violently.
To achieve the above object, a sheet receiving apparatus of the present invention includes a tray swingably supported by an apparatus main body so that it is selectively put to a state of use, in which sheets can be loaded thereon, and to a state of accommodation; and a regulation unit abutted against the tray for regulating the swing motion thereof to keep the state of accommodation, wherein the center of swing of the tray is arranged movably and the tray can be shifted to the state of use by releasing the swing thereof regulated by the regulation unit by moving the center of swing thereof.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a sheet receiving apparatus includes a tray and a regulation unit. The tray is rotatably supported about a center of rotation by an apparatus main body to be selectively positioned in a use position, in which sheets can be loaded thereon, and in an accommodation position. The regulation unit is abuttable against the tray for regulating a rotational motion thereof when the tray is in the accommodation position to maintain the tray in the accommodation position. The center of rotation of the tray is arranged movably and the tray is shiftable from the accommodation position to the use position by permitting the rotational motion thereof, regulated by the regulation unit, by moving the center of rotation thereof.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a sheet receiving apparatus includes a tray, supporting means and regulation means. The tray loads a sheet. The supporting means rotatably supports the tray in a rotational motion between a use position in which the sheet is loadable thereon and an accommodation position. The regulation means abuts against the tray when in the accommodation position so as to regulate the rotational motion of the tray to thereby maintain the tray in the accommodation position. The tray is releasable from the regulation means by application of a rotational force to slide the tray over the regulation means.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention a sheet receiving apparatus includes a tray and a regulation means. The tray is rotatably supported about a center of rotation by an apparatus main body to be selectively positioned in a use position, in which sheets can be loaded thereon, and in an accommodation position. The regulation means abuts against the tray and regulates a rotational motion thereof when the tray is in the accommodation position to maintain the tray in the accommodation position. The center of rotation of the tray is arranged movably and the tray is shiftable from the accommodation position to the use position by permitting the rotational motion thereof, regulated by the regulation means, by moving the center of rotation thereof.
According to still another aspect of the present invention a sheet receiving apparatus includes a tray, a support and a regulation unit. The tray loads a sheet. The support rotatably supports the tray in a rotational motion between a use position in which the sheet is loadable thereon and an accommodation position. The regulation unit is abuttable against the tray when in the accommodation position so as to regulate the rotational motion of the tray to thereby maintain the tray in the accommodation position. The tray is releasable from the regulation unit by application of a rotational force to slide the tray over the regulation unit.